Stephen D. Pisinski

AN FRANCISCO-Stephen D. Pisinski, 52 of San Francisco and formerly of Auburn died Tuesday, May 14 after being stricken ill at his home.

He leaves his wife, Patrice (Malone) Pisinski; a son, Spencer Pisinski and a daughter, Ashley Ann Pisinski both of San Francisco; his parents, Stephen and Statia (Pacek) Pisinski of Auburn; a brother, Donald Pisinski of Sterling; a sister, Cynthia Pisinski of Falls Church, VA, aunts, uncles and nieces and nephews.

He was born in Worcester and was raised in Auburn and has lived in the San Francisco area for more than 20 years. He graduated Assumption Prep School, Worcester and manna cum laude from Georgetown University. He later received his master's from Boston University in Public Relations. While at Georgetown, he founded and was the first editor of THE GEORGETOWN VOICE, the second school newspaper at the time. He received the H.B. Coakley Medal for outstanding Achievement and Leadership.

A longtime veteran of public relations, Mr. Pisinski began his career with Ketchum, MacLeod and Grove of Pittsburgh and later in San Francisco where he was a vice president and associate director. He then began SDP Communications which was later aquired by Oligvy and Mather where he was the general manager for 6 years. He then opened the office San Francisco office of Burson-Marsteller where he worked for several years. In 1992, he formed the Montgomery Group where he was president at the time of his death. He also had been the assistant director of public affairs and editor of THE CROSSROADS at Holy Cross College for several years.

He was the former Chairman and CEO of the Public Relations Society of American, served in a pro-bono capacity for the San Francisco School Volunteers, Swords to Plowshares and the Association for Retarded Citizens. He was an active member of the French Club, the Olympic Club and enjoyed gardening, and outdoor sports including golf and skiing.

The funeral will be held on Wednesday, May 22 from the Britton-Wallace Funeral Home, (brittonfuneralhomes.com) 91 Central Street, Auburn with a Mass at 9:30 AM in St. Joseph's Church, 189 Oxford St., Auburn. Burial will be in Notre Dame Cemetery, Worcester.

Calling hours at the funeral home are Tuesday, May 21 from 5-8 PM.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Pisinski Memorial Fund, c/o San Francisco SPCA, 2500-16th St., San Francisco, CA 94103 or the American Heart Association, 20 Speen St., Framingham,. MA 01701